MAGI-GRAM Official Newsletter of IBM Ring 50 -- The National Capital Ring -- Volume 77 No. 2 February 2018 Larry Lipman welcomed Buddy Smith whose recent bout of flu In This Issue prevented him from attending last Meeting Highlights Page 1 month’s President’s Night where he Announcements Page 1 The February meeting of Ring 50 was to be honored as the dean of Magi-Whirl Page 1 was a night for mentalism; crystal living presidents. Buddy was Mentalism Nite Page 2 balls, mind-melding, impossible President of Ring 50 Forty years President’s Corner Page 4 coincidences and ago, from 1978 to 1979. After Who is who Page 4 stunning predictions as eight receiving a round of applause Magic Quickie Page 5 members took the stage to show Buddy said he has always loved Counts of Conjuring Page 6 their psychic powers. In an unusual being a member of Ring 50 and twist, each performer revealed the vowed that next year he would have secret of his effect as a sort of a flu shot. hybrid performance/teach-in for the benefit of would-be mentalists in the audience. However, those Craig Fifer said there is some great International Brotherhood secrets will not be revealed here magic coming to the Dickens of Magicians Ring 50 because of the possibility of Parlour Theater near Bethany The National Capital Ring exposing them to lay Beach, DE including Francis President people. After the performances, a Menotti and Chris Capehart. The Larry Lipman professional Mentalist from New theater will give the Ring $6.00 off 703-859-8526 York City, Kent Axell was on deck the $26 ticket price if we have a [email protected] to comment on some of the effects group of 10 or more. Craig said if Vice President and share some of his experiences there is enough interest among Stan Hillard in the field with members. members it might make for a nice 703-430-4534 weekend getaway. Hotels there are [email protected] relatively inexpensive in the off- Secretary season. John Roberts The March program for Ring 50 703-519-0919 [email protected] will be a lecture by Mike Hummer, a long-time demonstrator at Al’s Treasurer Marc Carrion Magic shop who has done hundreds 540-809-8453 of children’s shows. Mike will [email protected] explain principles of performing for Sergeant-at-Arms kids and demonstrate tricks and Richie Klein routines any members can master. 703-470-3274 Don’t miss this lecture. [email protected] Magi-Gram Editor Buddy Smith John Roberts & Marc Carrion Chairman Danny Selnick said [email protected] Before the main event, President "We looking for a few Ring 50 February 2018 1 members to help with Magi-Whirl moving it to other parts of the rope 2018: registration, Gala Show flier before making it disappear. design, ad sales for the flier (handed out to attendees of the Gala Show), two ticket takers at the show, dealer room security, social media The preliminaries over, President outreach, who can help build two or Lipman introduced the first three MW 2018 sandwich boards Mentalist of the evening: that we'll put on heavily trafficked Mike Peckham talked about roads nearby the event." Here's the fortune-telling gypsies and then catch -- as members of Ring 50 -- Barney Sperling showed a real crystal ball and a we're asking everyone to help out black velvet bag that held it. only one time during an entire Tom Bohacek asked Laurie Curry year and if you can't volunteer for to think of any animal and write the any of these positions, we're asking name of it on a pad and keep it from you to be responsible for getting at view. Tom then sketched a horse on least FIVE people to go to the Gala a pad and turned to show it to the Show. Five is really such a small audience. He then asked Laurie to number. Here's the URL to share: turn her pad and show what she had Magi-Whirl 2018 Gala Show – written and the word was HORSE! I.B.M. Ring 50: The National Tom then handed out a prediction Capital Ring Chairman Danny sealed in a Mason Jar. He drew a Selnick also announced that Craig numbered magic square and called Fifer posted a Magi-Whirl Website on spectators to call out numbers for registration (www.magi- which were circled. All other whirl.org) and Mike Wolf has numbers in those ranks and files agreed to sell ads for the Playbill. Mike Peckham were eliminated until only four were He again urged maximum effort to left adding up to 34. That was the He gave a sealed envelope to promote the event since proceeds very number on the prediction Tom Matthew Biegun to hold saying from ticket sales will help defray had sealed in the Mason Jar! there was a prediction card inside. the costs of renting our monthly Danny Selnick was asked to gaze hotel meeting room. into the ball. He reported that the image of a four of diamonds had magically formed within the crystal orb which matched the card held by Matthew! Barney Sperling, a mathematics teacher, handed out four numbered cards to each of four spectators. Barney, using numbers called out at random from the spectators, Laurie Curry and Tom Bohacek assembled 16 numbers, four across and four down which he wrote on a Jason Goldberg asked Tony Nichols and his son Matthew to Jacob Miller large pad. When the numbers were added up they yielded a total of assist him in a demonstration of the Following the new policy, a 2,718. It took a few moments to special bond between father and Count of Conjuring, Jacob Miller sink in – it was the month (2), day son. Matthew was asked to focus on was invited to perform a trick he (7) and year (18) of the date of that two cards that had been selected had learned during the one-hour very evening! Barney pointed out from the deck and not to reveal teaching session prior to the that it was a very special trick them to anyone else. Tony was meeting. Jacob did a good job of because it only worked one day of asked to think about the connection tying a knot in a rope and then the year. to his son as he sought to find the matches to the two cards that February 2018 2 Matthew was holding. He tested the Kenny Wardrick handed a Arnie Fuoco had Danny Selnick connection by dealing his cards prediction envelope labeled “TOP shuffle shuffle the deck, make three facedown to a freely chosen point, SECRET to a spectator. He then piles, pick one and remember one stopping, and redealing the cards he called Cristian Vidrascu back to the card in that pile, shuffle the pile and had just dealt into two piles. The stage and adorned him with a garish bury it in between the other two top card from each pile was Mardi-Gras mask and a fabulous hat piles, and then asked Danny to removed. Amazingly, when Tony made of balloons and blinking lights shuffle the whole pack. In these and Matthew compared their cards, (Kenny is a balloon twister). He impossible conditions, Arnie asked they found that they each had a red handed Greg a sheet of newspaper Danny to spell to his card, and at the four and a black six, proving that, as and told him to hold it behind his end of the count his card was someone said, “The heart hath back and to draw a circle around revealed. It sounds impossible reasons the mind doth not know.” some words using a Sharpie Pen. right? well, it is, but Arnie did it! Kenny did so and when the words in the circle were read out to the audience, they matched those in the “TOP SECRET” envelope! Arnie Fuoco and Danny Selnick Augie Arnstein introduced 5 sealed Jason Goldberg envelopes. He said that one was special. He mixed the envelopes up Cristian Vidrascu had a spectator and then asked Tony Nichols to think of any card in the deck. He Kenny Wardrick further mix the envelopes then place then pulled out a deck of cards, them in a row on the table. This fanned them and a miracle ensued – Dwight Redman had Arnie Fuoco was done while Augie was in front the chosen card was the only one and Danny Selnick each select a of the table with his back to the reversed in the entire deck. Cristian card. Despite a series of shuffles envelopes. Tony was then asked to then displayed a net laundry bag and cuts Dwight was able to spell to place his hand on any envelope and which was stuffed with various each card! to move his hand to another brightly colored socks which envelope – or, he could leave his appeared to have lost their mates. hand on the same envelope – each Asked to choose a color, a spectator time Augie said a letter from the replied “PINK” – whereupon alphabet. Mike Wolf was also Cristian revealed that one of his feet given a card that asked him to say was bare and that the other foot was “Stop” on a specific letter. When sporting a pink sock! Augie got to the letter “E”, Mike said “Stop.” Tony gave the envelope his hand was on to Augie. This envelope was held in full sight as Tony opened each of the 4 remaining envelopes.